The Queen Of The Grizzlies

For the last Five years or so I have been making a trip to Yellowstone, Once or Twice a year. My first trip I wasn't having any luck finding a Grizzly to photograph. I desided that I would make a trip down into the Grand Teton National park where there it is said grizzlies are right on the side of the road. Well that was true and sure enough the first Grizzly I saw was none other than Grizzly 399.

Still to this day one of my all time favorite photos. 399 and her Four Cubs. Let me give you a little history on this Bear. Now I'm not an expert on her and I'm not saying this is 100% fact. This is what I have learned and heard over the years on this Bear. I do how ever believe that it is all factual. She is the First Grizzly at least in this area that has had Four Cubs and raised them all to the age that they were sent out on their own. ( I think that only One is still alive now though) She has a Daughter (610) That has a home range next to her. and they sometimes over lap. Once when 610 had Three cubs and 399 had only One they met in a medow next to the road. Now normally when Two meet with Cubs there is a battle or One will move off. But they seemed to be okay with each other and the Cubs played together. But when they split to go their seperate ways 399 had Two Cubs. Now I may have this part backwards, but I think that is how it went. still either way 610 went off with an extra or 399 did its the first time that this was known to happen. Pretty cool right? The next few years I would go down to the Tetons to try to get photos of 399 without any luck. I would get a few here and there of 610, but not see hide nor hair of 399. Until this year.... On my birthday no less. I had planed Three full days and Two days were I would only be able to spend a few hours at best in the Two parks. The first day and the last day I was to be there. Well the first day was suposed to be Monday the 20th of May. But I was able to make that a full day. It was a really good day too. So the next day which was my birthday I decided to treat myself and head to the Tetons. Besides 399 and 610 being there I was wanting to walk this one park where I had gotten some really great photos before. So off I went. I went by 399's "Hotspot" but she wasn't there so I headed to the park which took me by 610's "Hotspot" She also wasn't there. I grabbed a few so so photos at the park and headed back North. I figured it would be just another year without seeing 399. I was worried though that I might not get the chance again as she is already really old for a Grizzly. She turned 28 this year and that is pretty old for a Grizzly and she has a One year old Cub named Spirit. Now I'm planing on heading back in September. But who knows what will happen between now and then. So I was worried that this was my last chance. Well I got lucky. On my way back I had past the Two feilds I knew she was seen in a lot and there was nothing. But when I came around the bend to the next one there were cars parked on both sides of the road. Cameras, Tripods, Spotting scopes and people were lined up on the side of the road and I knew that she was there. I pulled over off the road grabbed Two of my cameras and made my way over. I asked a Ranger if it was in fact 399 and he said "No other Bear draws a crowd like this". I hadn't even seen her yet. So I headed over and was looking where everyone was pointing their lenes, and there she was.

I seen her but couldn't see her Cub. Normally the Cubs stay pretty close to Mom. But when I did see him I was shocked. (I think its a he anyway) He was huge I mean he looked more like a Two year old than a one year old. Let me show ya.

See what I mean? I took a fair amount of photos of the Two of them but I never like to sit there and take up space that someone else could use to see the Bears. I get photos that I'm happy with and I move on out. Its my way of helping out the traffic jams I guess. Anyway I have been babbling long enough, you came here for pictures.

One thing I have got to change is putting off blog posts. I take so many photos that it takes me forever to get down to the Ones I want to post. I think I have a way to do it but I have to find the time to move photos around. With work being all crazy and the weather being all nice its hard to find the time to do the things I need to do over the things I want to do... Balance is what I must work on... Like that will happen... I have posts that I am working on Bears and Raptors and a few more are planed and I will get to them all, but untill the next one, later